National Park Foundation Receives Grant From Disney To Help 60,000 Students Explore America's National Parks

National Park Foundation Receives Grant From Disney To Help 60,000 Students
Explore America's National Parks
PR Newswire
WASHINGTON, April 25, 2013
WASHINGTON, April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --In celebration of
National Park Week, the National Park Foundation – the official charity of
America's national parks – today received a $500,000 grant from the Disney
Worldwide Conservation Fund to help connect kids to nature through America's
national parks. Disney's investment will go specifically to the National Park
Foundation's "Ticket to Ride" program, which helps students explore the
outdoors by providing transportation to national parks around the country.
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090630/DC40408LOGO )
"Providing the means for America's youth to experience all that our national
park system has to offer is imperative," said Neil Mulholland, president and
CEO of the National Park Foundation. "Disney's support has helped make it
possible for us to engage thousands of young people in life changing park
experiences, and ultimately inspiring the next generation of park
enthusiasts."
Now in its second year and with continued support from the Disney Worldwide
Conservation Fund and Disney Friends for Change, "Ticket to Ride" provides
financial resources for transportation, in-park educational programming, and
meals that make national park field trips possible for schools across the
country. The grant from Disney will help more than 60,000 students to
experience location-based learning in their local national parks this year.
For many students, the Ticket to Ride field trip will be their first visit to
a national park. Recognizing that once in the parks a world of experiential
learning opens up, the National Park Foundation and the National Park Service
are dedicated to providing this critical access to the parks. Through these
field trips, young people discover their natural, cultural and historical
heritage, participate in volunteer and service-learning activities, enjoy
recreational opportunities and most importantly, begin a lifelong relationship
with their national parks
In addition to the grant, Disney's Friends for Change – a program that
inspires kids and families to make a positive impact on their world by helping
people and the planet – developed a public service announcement (PSA) that
will air on Disney Channel and Disney Online. The spot encourages kids and
families to explore the outdoors, whether at a local, state, or national
park. Disney Friends for Change also created an online action kit
(disney.com/friends) that helps families plan a park visit in four easy steps
and provides ideas on park activities ranging from hikes to wildlife
exploration.
"The more kids are exposed to the great outdoors, the more they appreciate and
understand the beauty and value of our natural resources, from our national
parks to our own backyards," said Leslie Goodman, senior vice president of
Disney Corporate Citizenship. "Disney is proud to work in collaboration with
National Park Foundation to make a park experience possible for tens of
thousands of young people. We hope that these outdoor adventures inspire
lifelong conservation values."
For more information about Ticket to Ride, corporate partners and ways to
support this and the other exceptional National Park Foundation programs, go
to www.nationalparks.org.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
You are the owner of 84 million acres of the world's most treasured memorials,
landscapes, ecosystems, and historic sites -- all protected in America's more
than 400 national parks. Chartered by Congress, the National Park Foundation
is the official charity of America's national parks. We work hand in hand
with the National Park Service to connect you and all Americans to the parks,
and to make sure that they are preserved for the generations who will follow.
Join us in supporting your national parks -- this is your
land.www.nationalparks.org.
Join us – This is Your Land. www.nationalparks.org
FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/nationalpark
TWITTER http://twitter.com/goparks
MEDIA CONTACT: Marjorie Hall, 202.354.6480 mhall@nationalparks.org
SOURCE National Park Foundation
Website: http://www.nationalparks.org